swaddling and dummies 1st time mumma's confusion

[thislittlesisterlola]

I was wondering if you wise people could advise me am starting to think beyond the birth and wondered about the following...

Swaddling- yay or nay? If yay for how long? Did you use a swaddling blanket or another kind of blanket... actual swaddling blankets seem a marketing ploy to me.

If nay, a grobag ok from birth, ive seem some for age 0-3 months.

Also- dummies I know its a sensitive subject but if breast feeding do I need to delay a dumy until feeding is established?- I read this somewhere, is this true? I would like to use one at bedtimes.

TIA sorry for the overload.

[lukewarmcupoftea]

Swaddling -def worth trying but some babies don't like it. Used a special blanket with dd1 but just a sheet with dd2 (it was summer and v hot). But I think for a new parent a special blanket helps to get it right as it can be tricky to get the hang of. If you are shopped out a normal sheet or blanket is fine, but big and stretchy is good, and try to practice before. I think we swaddled dd1 for about 10 weeks, but dd2 for much less as she is a bruiser and just fought her way out! It's just for those first few weeks really, to ease the transition to the big wide world. So grobags not a wasted buy either way ( think the actual grobags are 0-6months).

Don't know about dummies, dd1 took one from a few weeks in until 3 months when she refused it. Dd2 refused point blank (and bottles as well, sigh). I ebf both to a year/ now so not sure it really makes a difference to bf so long as you don't do it instead of iyswim. Top tip with dummies is to always remove before they fall asleep to avoid having to wean them off it later.

[RunJHC]

Swaddling and dummies worked for us. We used the miracle blanket from Mothercare to swaddle DS until he was about 3m. Really a godsend in terms of getting some sleep and impossible for him to wriggle out of - think that's the main benefit of having a specific swaddle blanket.

You can use Grobags from 7 pounds so depends how big baby is when born. We switched at 3m by which time his startle reflex had calmed down so he could cope better with having his arms out!

Dummies we used from about 2 weeks but we did have lots of problems BFing before and after that. A friend used dummies from about 2 weeks and had no probs with breastfeeding. You'll just have to decide that one for yourself, I think official advice is to wait until BFing going well

HTH

[Aranea]

A big 'yay' here for swaddling. And I don't agree that the special blankets are a marketing ploy - some of us find it pretty well impossible to swaddle properly with a normal blanket . I second the Mothercare Miracle Blanket recommendation, my dd2 never wriggled it loose and it worked brilliantly. Also you can do night-time nappy changes without unswaddling, which I don't think you could manage with a normal blanket. A big plus.

Never used a dummy, but am pretty sure you're right that you are supposed to delay introducing them until bf is well established.

[thislittlesisterlola]

Thank you all very much. I am enlightened about swaddling using a special blanket. My problem was so many companies try and sell you so many unnecessary things I was finding it hard to see the cat amongst the pigeons. Will get a blanket- am due in the summer do they do light ones like grobags? Sorry silly question i know. Do i put babe in a short sleeve babygro or a sleepsuit? We have a gro-egg so that will help in working out temperature thus what to put babe in? Sorry i have noone to ask. Thank all for your help

[Aranea]

I don't think you can get summer-weight swaddling blankets. I'm afraid my babies have been autumn/winter ones so I don't really know about keeping tinies cool.

I suppose if it were really hot I would just try swaddling them in a nappy, using a lightweight sheet or something (but definitely practise swaddling and do it really tight as it doesn't work if they can wriggle loose).

[RunJHC]

DS was born in March and it was still quite chilly so we swaddled him in a sleepsuit, then a vest, then just a nappy until we decided it was really too hot and that we should probably try the grobag! Have a look on the internet, there's probably someone that sells lighter weight swaddles, or as aranea suggests you could just use a sheet

[pooka]

Swaddling - yes.

DD was born in JUly and was super hot, so I just used one of my sarongs. Slightly stretchy and very very thin.

Dummy - yes.

I personally haven't found that their use from v. young age has effected breastfeeding. DD was about 5 weeks (when colic kicked in). DS1 about 2 weeks and DS2 similar when we introduced a dummy.

[thislittlesisterlola]

Thank you for all your advice am off to do some purchasing. lola

[angel1976]

thislittlesisterlola Hi, I've got a practically brand-new swaddling blanket (blue colour) from Mothercare for sale if you fancy something cheap in case your baby doesn't like swaddling? Bought it for DS1 and he hated it, put it away and recently found it after DS2 (who loved being swaddled!) was already into grobags. Email me at eangie at hotmail dot com if you would like it? £7 delivered? And I am a trusted MNetter if you check my feedback on the feedback forum.